Automatic time switch



Ap 29, 1930. B. F'. FLEGEL ET A AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH Filed May 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet -l INVENTORS.

April 29, 1930. B. F. FLEGE'L ET AL v 1,756,543

AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH Filed May 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I @Jim A TTORNEYS,

Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT Fries BENJAMIN F. FLEGEL AND FREDERICK W. FLEGEL, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH Application filed May 22,

This invention relates to improvements in automatic time switches.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an automatic time switch 5 which is adaptedto be included in an electric circuit to turn the electric lights on and off in store windows, electric signs, etc., at certain predetermined periods of time.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 10 vide an automatic time switch which can be easily set to turn the electric light switch on and off at predetermined periods of time.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an automatic time switch in which the i5 entire mechanism can be removed from its case by the removal of one screw, and further that the main wheel of the movement is so constructed that the winding arbor of the clock mechanism is provided with a sleeve e fastened to the main wheel and said sleeve carries a dial and adjustable hands which may be set to change the electric switch at predetermined periods.-

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic time switch inwhich the adjustable hands travel in different planes for actuating different portions of the electric switch mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to 39 provide an automatic time switch in which the mechanism to actuate the electric switch is interposed between the clock or other driving mechanism and the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic time switch having means for retarding the action of the switch mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic time switch in which the tripping mechanism is so arranged as to require the minimum effort in tripping the switch mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic time switch which is of simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved auto- 59 matic time switch and its: parts and combi- 1926. Serial No. 110,971.

nations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

, Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved automatic time switch shown mounted within a case, the cover of the case being shown in open position;

2 is a lower end view of the time switch, parts broken away and other parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the lower portion. of the switch, the casing being shown in section;

Fig. 4; is a sectional detail. View taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

5 is a detail view of the intermittent movable member forming partof the switch;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail View taken on line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the stop members and connected parts.

Referring to the drawings, the numeralv 8 indicates a casing, and 9 the hinged cover thereof. The time switch is removably mounted within the casing and: comprises'a rear supporting plate or frame 10 having outwardly projecting posts 11 and 12 upon which theclock works 1:3 and the switch movin g mechanism 14-. are mounted. The plate or frame "r0 at its lower edge is formed with a slot 15 which engages a headed stud loproi? jecting from the casing while the upper end portion of the plate is provided; with a forwardly extending flat spring finger 17 to the forward end portion of which a screw 18 is threaded. Said screw extends through the upper portion of the casing and engages the finger to clamp it to said upper portion and removably hold the plate within the casin he clock works 18, which may he of the ordinary eight day or any other typais provided Y with a projecting windin shaft 119 and a surrounding sleeve 20' whic carries a dial 21 having the hours from one to twelve delineated on the faceof each front half section thereof, one half section also having the letdial.

ters A. M., and the other section P. M. to indicate ante meridian and post meridian. The dial is adjustably clamped to the sleeve 20 by a milled nut 22 threaded on said sleeve. The dial is formed with a hub 23 upon which are mounted trip hands 24 and 25 and said hands are held in adjusted position on the hub by friction produced by splitting the bearing portion, as indicated by the numeral 26, to reduce the diameter of the bearings slightly less than the diameter of the dial hub 23 and forcing said bearing portions on said hub and thus providing for the easy adjustment of the hands with relation to the The cloclr spring winding shaft 19 projects outwardly from the milled nut 22 to permit easy winding of said clock spring. The clock frame is also provided with an adjustable finger 27 which extends to a position adjacent the periphery of the dial to indicate the time.

An ordinary rotary on and or? electric snap switch 28, for connection with the electric circuit it is to control, is mounted on the sup,- porting plate 10. and is provided with an outwardly extending squared tubular shaft portion. 29 for receiving the squared end of the shaft 30 of the switch operating mec ianism 14, before mentioned. A cotter pin 31 removably secures the two shaft portions together. The switch operating shaft 30 is journaled in a frame consisting of two spaced plates 32 and 32 and between which plates a convolute spring 33 is positioned and has its inner end connected to the shaft '30. The outer end of the spring is connected to a housing 34 which extends around the spring and the shaft 30, and said housing is provided with a shaft part 30 which projects through and is journaled in the upper plate 32. A ratchet wheel 35 mounted fast on the projecting shaft part 30 is engaged by a spring pressed pawl 36 mounted on the outer plate 32 to prevent retrograde movement of the said shaft part 30. The shaft 30 between the plates 32 and 32 also carries a star wheel 37 of which two diametrically oppositely extending fingers 38 are adapted to be tripped to actuate the switch to turn the circuit on, while the other diametrically opposite fingers 39 actuate the switch to turn the circuit ofi. For convenience in setting the time switch, the fingers 39 are dark colored to indicate the off positions of the snap switch and the fingers 38 are light colored to indicate the on position of said snap switch. Said fingers 38 are ofiset inwardly and the other fingers 39 are offset outwardly to travel in different circumferential planes. The dial hand 24 is dark colored and the hand 25 light colored to indicate to the user that the dark hand will trip the switch mechanism to turn the lights off and thelight hand will turn them on. The dark colored dial hand 24 is .1; oii'set inwardly to correspond with the plane four hours.

of travel of the light colored fingers 38 of the star wheel or escapement member while the light colored dial hand 25 is offset outwardly to coincide with the plane of travel of the dark colored fingers 39.

The upper edge portions of the plates 32 and 32 are provided with upwardly extending and inwardly offset extensions 40 and 41 having short stud shafts 42 which extend towards each other. Stop members 43 are ournaled on the stud shafts 42 and are formed with segmental stop flanges 44 which extend towards each other and in the path of movement of the respective star wheel or escapement member offset fingers 38 and 39. The inner curves of the segmental flanges are concentric with the axis of the stop members, so that said flanges may be easily turned out of engagement with the stop finger engaged and permit the spring 33 to rotate the switch shaft one quarter turn when the next succeeding star wheel or escapement member finger, which travels in a different plane, will engage the other stop flange. Said segmental stop flanges are positioned to ust receive the star wheel fingers and to disengage said fingers when rotated a slight distance upwardly and to the left. The stop members are also provided with stop projections 45 which engage the edge portions of the extensions 40 and 41 to limit the movement of the said stop members to the right, and said stop members are further provided with trip projections 46 which extend towards each other and into, the plane of travel of the dial hands 24 and 25 respectively. Coiled springs 46 extending around the hubs of the stop members and engaging the said members and the extensions 41 or 42 yieldingly hold the stop members in position to engage the star Wheel fingers 38 and 39.

To prevent the too rapid movement of the switch operating shaft 30, a toothed wheel 47 is mounted on said shaft beneath the plate 32 and an oscillatory toothed escapement member 48 pivotally connected to the plate 32 engages said toothed wheel and is oscillated thereby and the said member retards the rotation of said shaft.

In operation, the switch is included in a lighting circuit and the clock spring and the switch actuating spring are wound up. The milled nut 22 is then unscrewed slightly and the outer or light colored hand is set to the hour it is desired to have the lights turned on, and the inner or dark colored hand to the hour it is desired to have the lights turned off. The 'dial'is now turned with relation to the pointer 27 to indicate the correcttime and the milled nut is then turned down to clamp the dial in adjusted position. The dial makes one complete turn clockwise in twenty If the snap switch is in its 03 position, the light colored hand will first engage the outer stop projection 46 and trip 1 the star wheel finger to turn the switch on, and upon further movement of the dial, the dark colored hand 24 will engage the inner stop projection 46 and trip the star wheel finger to turn the switch off.

If it is desired to turn the lights on or off by hand, it is only necessary to trip the star wheel fingers by pressing one or the other of the stop projections 46.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the time switch is of very simple construction and is well adapted for the purpose described.

What we claim as our invention 1s:

1. An automatic time switch, comprising a time mechanism having a winding shaft and a timing sleeve therearound, a time indicatmg dial adjustably mounted on and carrled by the sleeve, outwardly and inwardly offset hands adjustably carried by the dial, a rotary electric switch adjacent the time mechanism and having an outwardly project ng shaft, a frame, a spring mechanism carried by said frame and having a tubular shaft connection with the switch shaft and also having a star wheel with offset fingers, some of said fingers being offset outwardly and other of said fingers being offset inwardly, stud shafts projecting from the frame, independent stop members journaled on the stud shafts of said frame and having segmental stop flanges positioned in the paths of movement of the offset fingers and engaged thereby and also having projections in the'paths of movement of the ofiset hands and engaged thereby to trip the fingers and permit the spring mechanism to turn the switch to on or off position, and independent spring members yieldingly maintaining the projections and the flanges in finger and hand engaging position.

2. An automatic time switch, comprising a time mechanism having a winding shaft and a timing sleeve therearound, a time indicating dial adjustably mounted on and carried by the sleeve, outwardly and inwardly oflset hands adjustably carried by the dial, a rotary electric switch adjacent the time mechanism and having an outwardly projecting shaft, a frame, a spring mechanism carried by said frame and having a tubular shaft connection with the switch shaft and also having a star wheel with offset fingers, some 7 carried by the stop members for yieldingly maintaining the projections in finger and hand engaging position.

3. An automatic time switch, comprising a time mechanism having a winding shaft and a timing sleeve therearound, a time indicating dial adjustably mounted on and carried by the sleeve, outwardly and inwardly offset hands adjustably carried by the dial, a rotary electric switch adj acent the time mechanism and having an outwardly projecting shaft, a frame, a spring mechanism carried by said frame and having a tubular shaft connection with the switch shaft and also having a star wheel with ofl'set fingers, some of said fingers being offset outwardly and other of said fingers being offset inwardly, means for retarding the speed of rotation of the spring shaft, stud shafts projecting from the frame, stop members journaled on the stud shafts and having segmental stop flanges positioned in the paths of movement of the offset fingers and engaged thereby and also having projections in the paths of movement of the oflset hands and engaged thereby to trip the fingers and permit the spring mechanism to turn the switch to on or off position, and springs carried by the stop members for yieldingly maintaining the-projections in finger and hand engaging position.

4. An automatic time switch, comprising a time mechanism having a winding shaft and a timing sleeve therearound, a time indicating dial adjustably mounted on and carried by the sleeve, outwardly and inwardly offset hands adjustably carried by the dial, a rotary electric switch adjacent the time mechanism and having an outwardly projecting shaft, a frame, a spring mechanism carried by said frame and having a tubular shaft connection with the switch shaft and also having a star wheel with offset fingers, some of said fingers being oflset outwardly and other of said fingers being oflset inwardly, a toothed wheel mounted on the spring shaft, a toothed oscillatory member ournaled on the frame and engaging the toothed wheel to retard the speed of rotation of the spring shaft, stud shafts projecting from the frame, stop members journaled on the stud shafts and having segmental stop flanges positioned in the paths of movement of the offset fingers and engaged thereby and also having projections in the paths of movement of the offset hands and engaged thereby to trip the fingers and permit the spring mechanism to turn the switch to on or off position, and springs carried by the stop members for yieldingly maintaining the projections in finger and hand engaging position.

5. An automatic time switch, comprising a time mechanism having a winding shaft and a surrounding tube carrying a movable time indicating dial, adjustable hands moving with said dial, a rotary electric switch adjacent the time mechanism, and independent spring mechanism for alternately turning said switch to on and off position, means stopping the rotation of the spring mechanism and having projections Which are alternately engaged by the hands in alternate manner to release the spring mechanism and permit it to turn the switch a partial rotation to on or 01? position.

In testimony whereof, We afiix our signatures.

BENJAMIN F. FLEGEL. FREDERICK W. FLEGEL. 

